Expression-controlling mechanism for musical instruments



T. DANQUARD EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Dec. 22, 1925- Filed Feb. 24, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 id @m- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. DANQUARD Filed Feb. 24, 1922 Dec. 22, 1925.

EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Wm 1 0 Law m 1 7 NWM Eu1w I \kr 7/ 1. a w l fi m E 1 N 6 W l I 9 o U z y \W & P. 1 2 M K 6 VIII f I 2/! 7M 5" 1 1 7 W W I? A? 7 f w m 1 MIJIE w n l I V P m 7 hfi/ 0 J 1 Dec. 22, 1925.. 1,566,654

' T. DANQUARD EXPRESSION CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 'Fi le eb. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATNT OFFECE.

THOMAS DANQUARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOR T0 AUTO PNEUMATIC ACTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EXPRESSION-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed February 24, 1922.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS DANQUARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Expression-Controlling Mechanism for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and improved expression controlling mechanism for musical instruments.

To this end the invention consists in connecting a series of united regulator pneumatics to the regulator valve and spring,

' providing a series of valves for said regu-.

lator neumatics, and controlling said valves so that when one is operated the valve or valves at one side thereof will be operated, whereby the regulator pneumatics can progressively be thrown out of operation.

The device is preferably arranged to operate normally at the lowest tension for the softest playing, which is obtained by having all of the regulator pneumatics in operation. Then by the arrangement previously described by cutting the regulator pneumatics progressively out of operation, the expression or tension on the actions can be pro gi'essively increased.

The invention also consists of certain combinations and improvements hereinafter detailed at length.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying three sheets of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a. partial front elevation partly in section illustrating the application of my invention to a player piano;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on an enlarged scale on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the regulator or controlling valve;

Fig. 3 is a partial view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the regulator valve in a different position;

Fig. a is a sectional elevation on enlarged scale on the line H of Fig. 5;

"Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the expression controlling unit;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of said unit;

Fig. 8 is a similar view with the lower board of the valve box removed, or is a sect-ion on the line 88 of Fig-6;

Serial No. 538,939.

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view on the line 99 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 10' is a front elevation of the valve box with the pneumatics removed, or is a sectional elevation on the line 10-10 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings and in detail T designates the apertured tracker-bar of a player piano over which the perforated music sheet S is drawn in the usual way to control and operate the strikers of the usual action.

W designates the wind trunk from which the air is exhausted by any suitable pump or pumps, which may be operated by foot treadles or by a motor in any of the usual ways.

Secured to the front of the wind trunk is a regulator box 10 which is divided by a partition 11 into two compartments A and B. A regulator or tension controlling valve 12 is pivoted in the compartment B to control a passage through said partition and said valve is kept in position on said partition by a spring 13.

The compartment B is connected to the action by a pipe 1 1 and the compartment A is connected to the wind trunk by a passage or port 15. These parts form a regulator or tension controlling mechanism.

A valve box 16 is connected to the regulator box 10 by a block 17 having a passage 17 0' therethrough positioned so that the compartment B will be in communication therewith.

Secured on the front of the boxes 10 and 16 are a series of regulator pneumatics P, P P P four of these pneumat-ics being shown in the present embodiment of the invention. The movable leafs of these pneumatics are united or connected together by a bar 18, and a rod or wire 19 extends from the neumatics into the box 10 and is connected to the regulator valve 12.

A spring 20 is connected to suitable arms so as normally to move the pneumatics to open position.

Suitable passages 79 12 p are cut through the top portion or board of the box 16 and. extending from these passages are branch passages 39 10 29?" 7 connecting to the regulator pneumatics. The passages p, 219 9 p are valve controlled. The valve mechanism controlling the passage 2) is illustrated in Fig. 4. The valve mechanism comprises a double valve, consisting of a lower valve V and an upper valve the valve \V being pivoted or hinged to the top of thevalve box 16.

The valve V is mounted on a stem 21. which is adjustably connected to the pivoted valve V. The lower end of the stem 21 is connected to a diaphragm 22. A passage X extends under and connects by a counter bore or enlargement to the space under the dia phragm and also connects by a passage having a bleed to the interior of the valve box 16 as shown in Fig. 4:. These valve mechanisms may be controlled by hand or they may be controlled automatically by the music sheet as it is drawn over the tracker-bar.

hen the expression is to be controlled automatically from the music sheet, four expression apertures 0r openings are arranged in the tracker-bar, which apertures are uncovered by perforations in the music sheet cut to obtain the proper accents as the piece of music is played; Valves V V l/V and VelV are arranged similarly to the valves V -WV previously described to control the regulator pneumatics P P and P the diaphragmsof these valves having passages X?'-X and X extending beneath the same. The tubes 1, 2, 3 4 connect to the passages'X, X, X X.

YVhen the accent controlling apertures in the tracker-bar are all closed, the valves previously referred to are all .in their lowest position, and all of the regulator penumatics P, P", P and l are connected to the interior of the valve box 16 and through the passage 170 to the compartment B of the regulator. Hence these p'neumatics will act as one pneumatic having a movable leaf equal in area to the sum of the areas of the movable leafs of all four pneumatics.

It will be seen that when -the parts are in this last referred to or normal position as illustrated, that the regulator valve 12 will be moved to its innermost position that is, to obtain the softest or pianissimo playing. In other words the air tension or exhaust is let in to, all of the regulator pneumatics when all 'of the accent controlling apertures inthe tracker-bar are covered.

Now'referring particularly to Fig. 10, it will be notedthat a passage 23 is out through the front board of the valve box 16 to connect the passage X to an opening or port in the top of the valve box coming under the pivoted valve V It will be noted that a passage 24 is similarly cut to connect thepassage X with an outlet or port coming under the valve V and that a passage 25 is also cut to connect the passage X with an outlet or port coming under the valve W.

By this arrangement the regulator pneu matics progressively will be cut out of operation as follows \Vhen aperture 1 in the tracker-bar is uncovered, the double valve V-VV will lift and the pneumatic P at the left will be cut out of operation. hen aperture 2 in the tracker-baris uncovered the double valve V lV will lift and pneumatic P will be cut out ofoperation. By the same operation passage 23 will be uncovered which will admit atmospheric air into passage X, which atmospheric air will operate exactly as if air had come in through aperture 1 in the tracker-bar. Hence as valve V lV is operated valve V"lV also will be operated and regulator pneumatic P will be cut out of operation simultaneously with the regulator pneumatic P When aperture 3 in the tracker-bar is uncovered, valve W will be operated which in turn will cause valve I -3V to be operated, which in turn -will cause valve VlV to be operated. Hence when the regulator pneumatic P is cut out of operation regulator pneumatics P P also will be cut out, of operation.

hen the aperture 4: in the tracker-bar 1s uncovered valve V lV- Wlll be operated uncoverlng passage 25 which will cause valve w -JV to operate, which in turn will cause valve V 'lV to operate, which in turn will cause valve V'VV to operate. Hence when regulator pneumatic P is cut out of operation by the uncovering of the aperture st. in the trackenbar all of the regulator pneuinatics will be cut out of operation.

' Hence, looking at the drawings, when any regulator pneumatic is cut out of operation the regulator pneumatic or pneumatics at the left thereof will also be cut out of operation, and this action can be progressively obtained along the row of pneuinatics.

Hence, assuming that the regulator pneuinatics are all the same size by the uncovering of the aperture 1, the operative pneumatic area will be reduced one-quarter, by the uncovering of aperture 2 it will be reduced one-half, by the uncovering of aperture 3 it will be reduced three-quarters, and by the uncovering ofaperture 4, all regulator pneun'iatics will be cut out of operation, and the spring 20 will move the regulator valve 'to its full open position, allowing the full tension of the wind trunk to pass to the action.

The regulator pneumatics are not always made of the same size as their areas can be varied as desired.

The arrangement described allows the operative effects before mentioned to be obtained without duplication of the perforations side by side in the music sheet as it is only necessary to have one line of perforations along the length of the sheet to get the 1 controls desired,

Lil

As before stated, the instrument shown is normally arranged for the lightest or pianissiuio playing. If the wind trunk is exhausted by treadles this sometimes causes or leads to hard pumping for pianissimo effects.

To obviate or neutralize this, the following arrangement may be used. A pneumatic is arranged on the side of the regulator box 10, and said pneumatic carries a valve 31 which controls an opening 32 into compartment A. A light spring 33 is arranged normally to open or distencl the pneumatic 30.

The compartment B is connected to the pneumatic 30 by a bypass or connection 3st. In normal playing, that is when only a pianissimo effect is obtained the tension in compartment B is light, and hence the tension in the pneumatic 30 also will be light and as the partsare adjusted it will not be enough to overcome the spring 33. Hence the valve 30 \'ill uncover the opening 32 and air can flow in through the same into compartment A so as to relieve the pump.

When one or more of the regulator pneumatics is or are cut out to obtain an increase of tension in compartment B, the increased tension will pass into pneumatic 30 and the opening 32 will be closed automatically and hence this relief mechanism will be cut out of operation.

If it is desired to control the playing by hand instead of automatically from the music sheet, the tubes or pipes 1, 2, 3 and 4: may be connected to a box having ports controlled by a valve 40 which may be operated by a hand-lever ll connected thereto. This hand lever 41 may have a projection 42 on the back side thereof which can engage notches 0, 1, 2, .3 l out in a segment 43. This hand controlling mechanism may be used separately or in con'lbination with the apertures in the tracker-bar.

.Vhen the lever is in the position shown in full lines all passages are closed. hen the top of the lever 41 is moved to the left ports 1, 2. 3 and at are opened progressively. This will cut out the regulator pneumatics progressively, the connecting passages 23, 24 and 25 not functioning them to get the result. The lever ll may be manipulated as the piece is playing to get the accents or the lever may be set at any position 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 to get any of the effects obtained from such adjustment, and if such adjustment is made and the wind trunk is exhausted by the foot treadles the accenting is obtained from the pumping.

Thus by the arrangement described I have provided a simple accent or tension controlling mechanism for the purposes stated.

The mechanism is shown as applied to control the entire action. By using a divided action and two of the expression controlling units described with perforations at the right and left of the tracker, the invention can be applied to control the bass and treble sections of the actions separately.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatly varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention what I c aim and desire to secure by Letters Patents is 1. An expression controlling mechanism for n'iusical instruments comprising a regulator valve and spring, a series of united regulator pneumatics connected to said valve, a series of valves controlling the regulator pneiunatics, and. air passages arranged so that when one valve of the series is operated the valve or valves at one side thereof also will be operated.

2. An expression controlling mechanism for musical instruments comprising a valve controlling the air tension, a spring connected normally to open the valve, a series of united regulator pneumatics connected to said valve, the air tension being normally admitted to the pneumatics, a series of valves controlling the admission of the air tension to the regulator pneumatics, and air passages arranged so that when one valve of the series is operated those at one side thereof also will be operated, whereby the pneumatics progressively can be thrown out of operation.

3. An expression controlling .mechanism for automatic musical instruments comprising a regulator valve controlling the air tension, a spring connected normallyto open said. valve, a series of united regulator pneuinatics connected to said valve and normally connected to the air tension, a series of double valves controlling the connection of the regulator pneumatics to the air tension, and air passages arranged so that when one double valve is operated the valve or valves at one side thereof also will be operated.

l. An expression controlling mechanism for automatic musical instruments comprising a regulator valve controlling the air tension, a spring connected normally to open said valve, a series of united regulator pneumatics connected to said valve and normally connected to the air tension, a series of double valves controll ng the connection of the regulator pneumatics to the air tension, air passages for controlling said valves, and a port controlled by each double valve except the one at one side and having air passages connecting to said first named passages.

5. An expression controlling mechanism for automatic musical instruments comprising a regulator valve controlling the air tensiou, a spring connected normally to open said valve, a series of united regulator pneumatics connected to said. valve and normally connected to the air tension, a series of double valves controlling the connection of the 6. An expression controlling mechanism for automatic musical instruments comprising a regulator valve controlling the air tension, a spring connected normally to open said valve, a series of united regulator pneu matics connected to said valve and normally connected to the air tension, a series of double valves controlling the connection of the regulator pneumatics to the air tension, each double valve consisting of an upper and lower valve, a diaphragm connected to operate each double valve, a port controlled by each of the upper valves of the double valves except the one at one side, and air passages extending from said ports under the diaphragm of the double valve at one side thereof.

7. In an automatic musical instrument the combination of an automatic tension controlling valve, an opening to the atmosphere from the tension side of the valve, a pneumatic carrying a valve for said opening, and a connection from said pneumatic to the regulated tension side of said valve.

8. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a tension controlling valve, a spring for normally opening the same, a pneumatic or series of pneumatics for normally closing said valve, said pneumatics being normally connected to the air tension, whereby the instrument is normally arranged for light playing, an opening to the atmosphere from the tension side of said regulator valve, a valve for said opening, a pneumatic for operating said valve, and a connection from said pneumatic to the regulated side of said valve, whereby when pianissimo playing is eflected atmospheric air is admitted to relieve the tension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

THOMAS DANQUARD. 

